


His Last Pledge

by orphan_account



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Illnesses, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-02 07:08:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8655361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The last pledge of the dying will not go unheard





	1. So It Begins

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not the best at writing a lot or consistently updating but thank you if you read this! <3

The warm mug thawed my frozen fingers. The smell of coffee brought with it some peace as I closed my eyes, focusing on the memories of lazy days, coffee in hand as pencil met paper, swirling lines flowing from the tip forming themselves into whatever I had in mind. Lazy days with coffee and creativity were days that had long passed.   
The warmth of the beverage melted my rigid muscles, allowing me to relax as the bittersweet flavour passed over my tongue. The chattering of the café was pleasant background noise, allowing me to delve deeper into my thoughts.   
I watched the foam atop my coffee swirl, seemingly lost in such a simple thing, I barely noticed the folded napkin that was dropped on the table before me. The person who attempted to discreetly give me a folded napkin was already headed towards the doors at a brisk pace, I caught the sight of bright pink hair hidden beneath his dark beanie.  
I curiously picked up the napkin and began unfolding, I paused in the act when I saw the dark scribbles that I suspected were words. Should I read this? I shrugged to myself a continued my unfolding until the napkin was spread before me, the hastily scribbled letters chilling the blood in my veins.  
‘Get out now, while you still can,’  
It may have seemed like just a joke, but seeing as the person who left the note was so damn ready to leave. I downed the rest of my coffee, grabbed my backpack and made my way to the front door, anxiety singing in my veins. Pulling the door open a bit too roughly, I nearly jumped out of my skin at the chime of the bell that served as a way to notify the staff of new customers.  
Cold air whipped across my face as I stepped out into the street. Home had to be a safe destination, right? Deciding that yes, home was probably the safest option I turned onto the path that would lead me back to the familiar apartment complex.

I was happily curled up on the sofa, bowl of ramen in my lap as I watched my favourite drama. The screen changed from a peaceful campsite scene to an emergency broadcast of the news.  
“If you’re in the Yongsan district, please remain calm and stay indoors-“  
Before more details could be provided the room was plunged into darkness as the power was cut off.   
“I live in the Yongsan district,” I whispered to myself, slight fear starting to set in.  
I could hear sirens wailing in the distance as I set the bowl aside and walked to the window to hopefully see something. I couldn’t see anything unusual going on so I decided for a little stroll around the building.   
Reaching the front door I noticed that it was open, allowing for a bone-chilling breeze to sweep the room. Stepping outside, ignoring the fact that I didn’t have a jacket, instead opting for rubbing my arms aggressively to maintain some heat.   
My eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as my brain registered the hoard of people running towards me. They were all dressed head to toe in dark colours, masks donned most faces and many hands were wielding weapons that glinted in the moonlight.  
They weren’t running around, breaking stuff or spray painting the fronts of houses, they were out to hurt someone, and that someone might be me.   
Fear froze me in place as they approached. They were getting closer and closer and I couldn’t move. They were only a few metres away when my body finally allowed itself to be moved, I stepped back, pressing myself against the wall, hoping that they’d ignore me.  
When the swarm was upon me, I fought every instinct that was screaming at me to shout for help, to scream. A small hand grabbed me by the collar and pinned me to the wall behind me, something cold pressing against my neck.  
This man standing before me was smaller than myself but he was stronger despite the obvious lack of muscle. Black hoodie pulled up and black masks covering his nose and mouth. His bangs were a bright cotton candy pink, nearly identical to the pink hair the stranger had tried to hide under a beanie earlier.   
Then I saw the fire in his eyes. The sadness and pain were hidden beneath a fire that burned brighter than a thousand suns, consuming everything else. The fire was anger, it was the rage that burned inside this man, the emotions that brought him to this point where he was holding a blade to my throat. There was something that triggered these emotions inside of him, compelling him to do this, to do whatever he was initially set out to do.   
“Don’t. Move.” He hissed, pressing the blade harder against my throat. I could feel the sharp sting where the blade pierced my skin, hot blood drizzling down my neck in a thin stream of warm crimson against the chill-paled skin on my neck. An involuntary hiss of pain escaped from between my lips.   
The fire appeared to dim for a second or two before it rose back up in a blaze of glory. They say eyes are the gates to the soul, the soul before me is burning itself alive.  
A taller, muscular man ran by, holding firmly onto a smaller man’s hand. The smaller stopped dead in his tracks and started tugging the other back with him towards the scene I was currently playing a part in. Long pale hands tapped my attacker’s shoulder before the man uttered a single sentence.  
“Bring him with us.”  
The burning eyes darted to the side to look at the other before returning his gaze to meet mine, the fire again began to dim before rising to the point where I was sure that it would burn me as the fist tightened around my collar, shoving me forward and very nearly throwing me backwards into the concrete wall. Darkness fell upon me as my head collided with the wall.   
I felt strong hands grab onto me and nothing else.


	2. The Last Pledge of The Dying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “And you’re here because Minhyuk suspects that you’re dying,” Kihyun stated simply.   
> “Dying?” I deadpanned.

Eyes pried themselves open. Ears twitched at the sound of violent coughing and wheezing.   
“C’mon Kihyun, breathe. You’re not dying on me today.”  
Eyes fell shut. Ears blocked out sound. Sleep took hold again.

I managed to pull my lids open, to witness the dim lighting of an unfamiliar room. Letting out a whine when the searing pain that laced through my skull made itself known.  
“Good morning, sleeping beauty. I trust you had a good rest?” an oddly familiar voice quipped from somewhere behind me.   
“Firstly, what the fuck. Secondly, ow,” I grumble.  
“You’ll be fine, I just had to take the usual measures. You can’t know how to get here or how to get home unless you stay. By the way, I’m Kihyun.”  
It took all of my strength and concentration to roll myself over, wincing at the pain in my head and the stinging band that seemingly wrapped around my neck. My vision was still a bit fuzzy, either from sleep or being knocked out, but I could make out a mop of fluffy pink hair, resembling cotton candy, sat atop said Kihyun’s head.   
Memories of that night came tumbling back, the swarm of bodies covered in black, the weapons many weld, the knife against my throat and the fire in his eyes.   
“Hoseok,” I muttered bitterly. He knocks me out and brings me to this strange place, who does he think he is?  
“I bet you’re wondering what this place is and why you’re here. This is the headquarters of The Last Pledge of the Dying or Pledge of the Dying if you’re lazy. Now you’re thinking: last pledge of the dying, what is that? That my friend is what I’m here to tell you. The Last Pledge of the Dying is a small organization of people who have death trying to break their door down or can’t function normally through day to day life due to reasons beyond their control and want their suffering to be heard.  
“Life for some people is not easy, sometimes it’s a war to get up in the morning, sometimes you can’t breathe right, sometimes you’re dying but you have to continue like everything’s all right. Nothing is all right but that’s what everyone wants to think, brushing suffering under the rug, ignoring it because then it seems like it doesn’t exist. Sufferers want their suffering to be acknowledged and accepted, not overlooked because it’s inconvenient for someone. They want their pain to be known instead of having to act like they are able to do everything someone else can. We want our cries to be heard.  
“And you’re here because Minhyuk suspects that you’re dying,” Kihyun stated simply.   
“Dying?” I deadpanned.  
“Yes, Minhyuk’s blind, he has been for a long time, he can sense things he shouldn’t be able to, and he could smell death on you.”  
“No, that’s ridiculous. I’m perfectly healthy,” I said in a disbelieving tone.  
“We’ll see. C’mon, you’ve gotta meet the man in charge,” Kihyun said, walking towards the door at the other end of the room which was hanging open, leading somewhere. I sighed when he finally left the room, using my arms to push myself into a sitting position. That, as it turns out, had been a mistake as then my head felt like it has just fallen off my shoulders and was rolling across the floor at top speed.  
“Are you alright in there?” Kihyun’s annoying voice asked from the doorway he had just exited. Shooting him an annoyed yet pleading glance he seemed to get the hint and came over to hold onto my arms and help me stand on unsteady feet.  
“Sorry about your head, standard procedure,” Kihyun chuckled nervously, keeping a strong grip on my arms.   
“’S okay,” I managed to whisper with my head spinning aggressively.  
Kihyun held onto me and helped to make sure I didn’t fall flat on my face as he guided me through the twisting maze of hallways. I’d never remember my way anywhere here.   
My head was reasonably clear when we reached a large room with a high ceiling, the walls were dark and the floor was bare. It was relatively quiet despite there being multiple people in the room. A tall lanky boy sat alone, wearing only a singlet which showed off the abnormal growths that twisted his back and shoulders as he read a book sitting in his lap.  
There was a pair of men sitting side by side tracing shapes on each other’s skin, both looked awfully familiar, maybe I’d seen them that night. Both had dark hair but where one was relatively pale the other’s skin was warm and tan.   
The last two people occupying the room were another two men, sitting in one chair behind a big desk. The smaller was sat on the other’s lap, his face tucked into the other’s neck, mostly likely asleep. My eyes didn’t miss the scars that mapped his arms. The other man looked at the smaller with a kind and loving expression, gently brushing his hands through the caramel hair.  
He lifted his gaze to sweep the room, stopping once he caught sight of us.  
“Ah, Kihyun, this is your pet?” he snickered, wide grin spreading on his face to reveal deep dimples.  
“You could say that, but no, this is Hoseok. Minhyuk tells me he’s dying,” Kihyun drawled, indicating towards me with a lazy sweep of the arm.  
“Well, Minhyuk is rarely wrong. So, Hoseok,” the other pointed his gaze into my direction and I felt the daggers stabbing into me, “Are you staying here, or returning to your home with something that’s killing you that you didn’t even notice?”   
I swallowed audibly, throat drying up from the fear of this man. If he weren’t here, in this ‘place’, then I likely would have assumed him to be pleasant, but here, he was to be feared.  
“I- I’ll go home, please,” I forced the words out, stumbling over each syllable. Kihyun shot me a worried look but eventually that disappeared and was replaced by a coldness in his features.   
“Very well, I’ll take you home,” Kihyun said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. 

As it turns out, the walk home was a lot longer than I had initially expected, and Kihyun wasn’t good company. We walked along in silence, the sun hanging in the afternoon sky providing warmth and light. The tapping of shoes on concrete was rhythmic, allowing my mind to wander, observing how Kihyun’s hair reflected the sunlight, the broadness of his shoulders hidden beneath a dark jacket, the way his shoulders moved with each breath. Until they were moving a little faster than they should be for someone walking.  
“Kihyun, are you okay?” I asked from behind him, earning myself a wave of the hand.  
“I’m fine, it’s just hard to breathe sometimes,” Kihyun said, his voice shaking.  
“Do you need to go to the hospital? I don’t think you should just continue like it’s nothing,” I said in a motherly tone.  
“Its fine, I’m dying, no one can help me now. Now, just keep walking, once you’re home you can forget about me.”  
Kihyun lapsed back into his silence. Deciding that trying to talk to him would only anger him further I kept my mouth closed and just looked around as I walked. Children ran around, giggling a little too loudly, adults conversing as they strolled in the sunlight. Cars rolling past, people heading to many different destinations.  
Maybe the silence from Kihyun was deafening, but the noises of the busy streets were music, soothing all worries or fears. Smiles showing that happiness is possible.   
“This is where I stole you from, have a good life. I’m also required by Jooheon to tell you to return or find me at the café if you change your mind, but please, get a check up soon. I’m not really a fan of finding people dead,” Kihyun said in a bored tone.  
“Okay, goodbye Kihyun,” I said, offering him a smile as I walked into the building, leaving the pink haired male standing alone in the streets, watching after me as I disappeared up the stairs.


	3. Back Again

I didn’t seem to be able to forget that mop of pink hair, those fiery eyes or the way the fire would dim as the hardened expression softened. 

It’d been weeks, I should’ve forgotten about that incident but it couldn’t forget any of it. I didn’t see The Last Pledge of the Dying again, although I watched the streets every night, in hopes of seeing them again. I avoided going to the doctors despite the dizziness and chest pains to see if that Minhyuk guy had been right, maybe I didn’t want to know that my time on earth was limited.

Chest pains grew more common, dizziness following me wherever I went. Maybe I should’ve listened to Kihyun, but doing anything he said would only resurface memories that I wanted to forget. I wanted to forget that night, the blade against my skin, the fire that was devouring Kihyun’s soul, the strong hands that caught me when I fell. I wanted to forget it all. The memory wasn’t necessary, only clouding my thoughts whenever I allowed my mind to wander. 

I could remember the scars that laced arms, the growths and twisting of bones under skin, the two tracing designs on skin with their fingertips, smiles on lips. I wanted to forget it all.

I was watching the silence of the street from my window, streetlights cast yellow glows that nothing passed under. The street was empty of all activity, stars littering the sky, moon hanging in its crescent shape shining against the silky darkness. The night’s sky was a beautiful showing of what was beyond my reach, I can’t touch the sky so I definitely can’t reach the stars. 

Eyes drifting back down to the street I saw a shadow lurking where light doesn’t reach. Head to toe was black, enabling the figure to blend into the night. The shadow’s face was scanning the building, glancing at the windows until their eyes met mine. 

I sucked in a startled breath, even from so far away, I knew those eyes, filled with a burning passion, and I knew that bubblegum pink hair. My body froze, why was he there, what was he doing outside of my apartment building in the middle of the night? I decided to find out the answer to that myself. 

Remembering my mistake last time I grabbed my jacket off the back of the sofa, sliding my arms into the sleeves as I made my way to the door. Turning the key in the lock I headed towards the staircase and made my way down, taking the steps two at a time to get down faster. 

I had to know why he was here. I mentally cursed the fact that I lived on one of the higher floors as I headed down yet another flight of stairs.  
What if he’d left by the time I got down there?

That fortunately was not the case when I walked out into the cold night air. Tugging the jacket a bit tighter around my torso, I spotted the shadow with pink hair waiting for me across the street. 

“You better have a good reason for coming here,” I cursed under my breath, crossing the road to where he stood, leaning against a tall fence. 

“Hoseok,” he greeted when I neared him. 

“Hello Ki-“ my words cut off as a surge of dizziness hit me. I threw a hand out to catch onto something in case I fell. Hands grabbed onto my outstretched arm and held me.

“Hey, Hoseok, are you feeling alright?” Kihyun asked, worry soaking his voice.

“I’m okay, just a bit dizzy,” I muttered, world swaying before my eyes.

“Sit down before you pass out,” Kihyun instructed, carefully pulling me down to sit on the cold concrete. I rested my head on his shoulder as I waited for the dizziness to pass.  
“Does this happen a lot?” Kihyun’s soft voice inquired.

“More over the past week, it’ll pass,” I mumbled.

“Did you see a doctor like I told you to?” 

“…No,” I sighed in defeat.

“Do you live alone?” 

“Yes.”

“That’s it, you’re coming back with me, you are in no shape to be looking after yourself,” Kihyun said, his voice strong and unwavering. I took a mental step back.

“No, I couldn’t leave my life behind,” I whispered.

“You’re dying, just as Minhyuk said, let us look after you,” Kihyun whispered back, knowing that I could hear him.

“What do I get if I say yes?” I teased, smile playing on my lips.

“People who will look after you and make you feel loved no matter what,” Kihyun whispered fondly, thinking of his friends brought him peace and happiness.

“Deal then.”

“Well, then, we better get going before we both get more sick,” Kihyun said with a slight smile. Helping me to my feet and keeping hold on my elbow until he saw that I could stand.

We walked in silence back the way we had come a few weeks ago. I remembered the silence from Kihyun, him telling me that I could just forget about him. I hadn’t forgotten any of them. Some things get burnt into your memory, and I have to say, that experience is not one easily forgotten.

During one point when we were walking Kihyun stepped closer to me, shivers shaking through his body. I pitied him, his hoodie wasn’t very thick and he was tiny, I slid my jacket off my shoulders and slung it over his. He gratefully wrapped it around himself.

“Aren’t you going to get cold now?” Kihyun asked through chattering teeth.

“I’ll be fine, you’re small and thin, you’d get sick much easier than I would.”

“Thank you,” Kihyun whispered before continuing to walk.

Maybe I imagined it but I swear I saw a smile on his lips.


	4. Explanations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kihyun talks a lot

When visiting it for the second time, the hideout seemed more alive than the first time. The first time I only saw the empty rooms instead of the ones that were decorated with photos. There was all of the evidence I could ever need that people lived here even without the name plates on the doors. We walked through the halls that had bar sticking out of the sides covered in a soft fluffy material that Kihyun said was for Minhyuk to navigate on his own and that they were there for Minhyuk to grab to keep himself from running into the walls. The door labelled 'Hyungwon' was closed.   
Kihyun explained that Hyungwon could barely move because of a condition that was practically drowning him in his own bones. The idea by itself gave me chills as the memory of the bumps and twists that were covering skin the last time I was here.   
Kihyun was explaining as he guided me through the labyrinth of hallways. He told me that Minhyuk was the human equivalent of a puppy despite his lack of sight and that he would spend most of his time with Hyunwoo who helped him navigate and sometimes they'd sit together writing on each other's arms in a script that no one else in the building could read.  
Kihyun told me about how Jooheon's condition affected his brain and rendered him unable to do things easily, slurring his speech from time to time, reducing his alertness and weakening his body. Kihyun also mentioned that Jooheon was their leader and looked after them all despite being younger than most of them. He was born to lead and to care for others.  
Kihyun also mentioned how Changkyun wasn't necessarily physically ill but mentally. That Changkyun had a hard time doing a lot of stuff, he couldn't think straight most of the time, he was consistently exhausted by everything and how he was not really able to see the happiness that others could.   
Kihyun also decided to tell me about himself.  
"I have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, big words, I know. That really just means that my lungs can't properly move oxygen into my bloodstream meaning that my organs don't get the oxygen they need. I was diagnosed with it four years ago, worst day of my life at the time to know that I wasn't going to live long enough to enjoy life. The life expectancy after diagnosis is 3-5 years so I'm headed towards my death bed at this point. In some ways I'll be sad to go, I never got to marry someone whom I loved, I never got to work my dream job and I never owned a dog," Kihyun paused to chuckle, "I guess Minhyuk is like my own dog but better. Back to the topic at hand, I'll be happy to finally stop this. I'm tired of not being able to breathe, I'm tired of being tired, I'm tired of living a life that will never accumulate to anything. I'll be at peace when I'm gone, maybe I'll finally know what it's like to take a deep breath of fresh air with lungs that work.  
"I'll miss my friends though, they've done so much for me and will probably be sad when I go. I only want them to be happy."  
"You've lived a life any other man wouldn't be able to cope with. You've stayed alive this long. You deserve to finally get your rest from all of this," I said, voice soft.  
"You're the first person whom I've told who didn't tell me to stop being so depressing. I like you, you can stay," Kihyun snickered.

Something about Kihyun here made me relax, he seemed perfectly at ease, when anywhere else he's tense and worried about something or everything. His fingers slid over the bars jutting from the walls, fondness in his eyes, lips curling upwards into a smile.

He loved it here, he loved the people here more than he cared to admit.

They were the people who took care of him when no one else would. They were the ones who ran to his room in the middle of the night to hold him as he tried to regain his breathing. They were the ones who cried the first time he was so sick that he couldn't get out of bed. They were the ones who made sure that he was all right.

He was all right as long as he had them.

As long as he had them he could smile.

Kihyun pointed out where the occupied rooms were, reading the name plates as he went, "Minhyuk and Hyunwoo, Jooheon, Changkyun," pausing as he reached a final one, "Kihyun."

There was a sudden thickness in the air, awkwardness.

"I guess you'll have to share my room for the time being, don't worry, there are two beds," Kihyun explained catching the panicked look I was throwing him. "We'll take good care of you, I swear. Everyone else are literally the nicest people on the planet, they'll help you if you need it, provide a shoulder for crying on and a friend when you need one most."

 

"Thank you," I said, making my voice as clear as possible as my ears burned with embarrassment.

"You're welcome, roomie. Enjoy your stay," Kihyun chuckled pushing the door open to reveal a room I knew all too well.

"Your bed is the one you were in last time. If you have any problems or concerns I sleep in the bed next to you or am cooking in the kitchen with Minhyuk," Kihyun said before leaving the room, "right now, I'm going to be cooking with Minhyuk, he enjoys sitting on the bench and helping out from time to time when sharp objects aren't involved."

"Have fun," I said before walking over to the bed that was now mine and sitting down atop the covers.

I looked around the room, Kihyun was a bare minimalist, a few photos of the sky decorating the walls, a chair in the corner next to a bookshelf that looked as if it hadn't been touched in forever, dust coating the spines of the books. This room was decorated like a home but Kihyun kept it far cleaner than most homes, his covers were neatly tucked military style and an old ragged teddy bear sat atop them, it was something with sentimental value to the pink haired fiery male, showing that the fire didn't burn everything.

Maybe staying here wasn't going to be as bad as I initially thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Kihyun had guided me to the dining room before he disappeared with his plate of food. There were four other people already seated at the table, smiles on their faces, the familiar one that I now knew what named Jooheon waved me over, patting the seat beside him.

“C’mon, we don’t bite,” he snickered as I cautiously walked over to the seat next to him, everyone else had their eyes on me, even the pair that couldn’t see me.

“How are you?” the boy next to Jooheon asked, his eyes were kind and wary as he scanned my face.

“I’m alright,” I replied, eyes dropping to the table.

“He’s quiet, no wonder Kihyun likes him so much,” another person mentioned with a smile, “I’m Hyunwoo by the way, and this is Minhyuk,” the muscular male explained gesturing towards the smaller man next to him.

Minhyuk was a name I had heard before, he couldn't see but apparently was the human embodiment of the sun. He seemed like someone who couldn't get mad at anyone no matter what they did and even if he did the anger wouldn't last long.

He looked like someone who always tries to have a smile on their face.

Hyunwoo was tall and muscular but he looked gentle in the ways in which he interacted with others, gently intertwining his fingers with Minhyuk's and guiding the smaller's hands when they reached for something.

"Nice to meet you both, I'm Hoseok," I said. 

"We know, Kihyun would not shut up about you for days, and by days I mean that it was a rare occurrence for something leaving his mouth to not be related to you for nearly a week after he first brought you here. You pissed him off a lot," Minhyuk said with a wide grin that displayed beautiful white teeth.

“Why?” I asked, voice betraying me and cracking as the word left my lips. I had just earned myself a chuckle from Jooheon, yet again showing off his dimples.

“Because you’re an idiot and willingly went back to your life. Kihyun works really hard to keep all of us happy and he likes you being around,” Hyunwoo explained.

“Oh,” was apparently the only thing I could say in reply to that. That’s one person who enjoys my company. Why would Kihyun enjoy my company? As far as I was concerned I was terrible company.

“Hey, don’t look so miserable. That’s Kihyun’s job,” Jooheon’s friend said with a grin that brought his face to life. The solemn look that had donned his face every time I had seen him was completely erased.

Chuckles spread around the group at the remark. 

 

Kihyun had delivered Hyungwon's dinner as per usual and then had set upon himself the task of cleaning up after everyone despite the sun having ducked below the horizon a few hours ago. He stood by the sink, systematically scrubbing dishes and setting them on the rack.

The silence was comforting, nothing posing a distraction as he washed the dishes, everyone was asleep, skipping away into dreamland. Kihyun was completely alone and he liked it that way, the ability to escape into his thoughts without worrying about anyone else. He loved being alone.

The warmth of the soapy water as he was dipping dishes in as he scrubbed. Most wouldn't want to spend their evening cleaning but for Kihyun it reminded him of times when he was too short to reach the countertop and times when he'd sit on the bench as his mother would clean, telling her about what he'd learnt at school and random facts he now knew.

The days were always amazing when you were young because you encountered something new, did something you deemed fun. When you're young you're so easily entertained, able to find joy in the simplest of things. It was easier to be a child.

Caught up in his thoughts Kihyun was unaware of what he was doing, it was easy enough to get lost in your own mind when working on something repetitive and systematic.   
That's exactly what he did, not quite noticing what he was doing with his hand. 

Until there was a loud crash snapping him back to reality.

Seeing the shards of what once was a ceramic dinner plate Kihyun sighed, praying that the loud noise hadn't awoken anyone.

Gathering up the broken shards of the plate and wrapping them in newspaper before dumping them into the rubbish bin Kihyun returned to his previous task when he heard a noise at the door. Turning he saw Minhyuk standing there, hands curled around the bars jutting from the walls his unseeing eyes were focused on Kihyun.

"Hyunnie, are you okay? I heard a crash and Hyunwoo wasn't planning on getting up anytime soon," he said, voice slowed by sleepiness.

"I'm okay Minhyukkie, you should've just gone back to sleep. You need your rest," Kihyun scolded.

"Hey, I'm awake now so I'll keep you company," Minhyuk snickered, wandering over to the edge of the counter and hoisting himself up to sit on its surface.

"I'll make some tea for you since it's obvious that you're not going anywhere now," Kihyun sighed as he filled the kettle with water. There was a smile on his lips though. 

"Ooo! Green tea!" Mihyuk cheered with a smile so bright it rivaled the sun.

 

With the tea made and the dishes waiting to be dried Minhyuk decided to poke the bear with a stick.

"How's it going with Hoseokkie?" Minhyuk asked over his tea, freezing Kihyun in place. Kihyun was relieved that the elder couldn't see the bright blush that covered his cheeks.

"Hoseok is amazing and I'm very fond of him but he doesn't seem to get the hint that I want to kiss that stupid smile off of his face," Kihyun said quietly earning himself a giggle from Minhyuk.

"He'll come around in time. You're great and he's bound to realise it soon," Minhyuk said comfortingly.

"Thank you Minhyukkie, Now, we both should go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."


	6. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Showhyuk do the shopping  
> Only because Minhyuk loves it

The noisy chatter of the supermarket is what Minhyuk loved the most, just hearing the people around him. The laughter in the air, mother’s scolding children for putting random things they wanted into the trolley.

The feeling of his hand held tightly in Hyunwoo’s was a comfort he needed, he couldn’t see but knowing that Hyunwoo was there made sure that he wouldn’t disappear for forever. He wouldn’t fly away and shatter.

Hyunwoo was what held Minhyuk on the ground.

“Minhyukkie,” Hyunwoo worded. Hyunwoo loved the smile that unconsciously spread on Minhyuk’s face every time they went out into the town, the sounds of people made him happy.

Sometimes Hyunwoo wonders what goes on in his lover’s head, but Hyunwoo has accepted that he’ll never know because he and Minhyuk are different and even if Minhyuk were to explain it he wouldn’t understand fully.

But Hyunwoo was okay with that. He was okay with not knowing everything as just seeing Minhyuk’s smile was good enough for him. That smile that Minhyuk couldn’t see but flashed so brightly was Hyunwoo’s favourite thing.

Minhyuk despite everything brought with him happiness that was shared, his smile was contagious, the second it spread on his face your own lips would curve upwards.

Hyunwoo only wanted Minhyuk to be happy when the world had shown him such unkindness. Life isn’t fair, it rains on those who deserve the sun.

 

Mindlessly walking up and down the aisles were the two of them, hands connected by intertwined fingers, warmth shared between them. It was nice to feel the pressure of someone else's hand in your own, that there was someone else there, even if you closed your eyes that you could still tell that they were there.

Minhyuk loved it for that reason, he could feel Hyunwoo's warmth and how their hands fit together like puzzle pieces and that meant that he wasn't alone, that Hyunwoo was there, that he always would be there as long as Minhyuk could feel the warmth.

The babbling background noise painted pictures, Minhyuk relied on his ears and sense of touch to see, his ears showing the most to him, the rhythmic sounds of feet against tiled floors. The quite conversations between few people about dinner or what they were doing in the weekend, filled with ums, ahs and a lot of uncertain pauses as Minhyuk could nearly hear the cogs ticking away in their heads as they thought.

Minhyuk loved the giggles of children he could hear from time to time, the small creatures able to find joy in simple things and produce their own lasting happiness from such things. Children were so pure, without a care in the world, whereas, as you aged realizations and responsibilities rained down on you. Minhyuk prided himself on trying to stay lighthearted for the good of everyone else.

Hyunwoo was there and he planned to stay there forever. 

Maybe Minhyuk was selfish and only wanted Hyunwoo for himself but he couldn't help his whine of protest when the warmth slid away.

"Minhyukkie, don't worry, I'm right here we just have to buy this. I still don't know why Kihyun asked for blue hair dye though, I don't think he could pull it off. He's more of the pinkish pastels type, that's why the pink suits him so well," Hyunwoo said, mouth running away from the initial statement. Minhyuk loved the way Hyunwoo would just go off topic when talking, sometime Minhyuk could imagine a smile on his face when he spoke of things he had done or seen. Minhyuk's happiness was Hyunwoo's happiness as Hyunwoo's was Minhyuk's.

"He probably has a good reason," Minhyuk said, lips curling slightly as he had been told of the plan prior as Kihyun was only a small ball of uncertainty when it came to anything regarding Hoseok. Kihyun had a big fat crush on the boy and he couldn't do much to fix that.

Hyunwoo hummed in agreement, falling into silence before he broke it, "Do you want to go to Kihyun's favourite cafe? They apparently make excellent coffee and Kihyun says the blueberry muffins are to die for."

 

The sounds of the café were vastly different from those of the supermarket. Where the supermarket was filled with footsteps, hushed conversations and the squeaking of trolleys; the café was filled with a whole new array of sounds. The faint clicking of keys from more than one young writer who found the peaceful atmosphere a good place to write, people stumbling over their words as they ordered, the casual chatter over coffee about a million different topics, the sounds of the coffee machine as an order was filled, awkward conversations from coffee dates gone wrong. All together the café’s sounds were a calm environment suitable for many.

“Minhyukkie, are you sure you’re not going to get anything?” Hyunwoo asked, voice muffled by the coffee in front of his face. Nodding slightly Minhyuk faced Hyunwoo, smile spreading, displaying his teeth.

“Yeah, I’m fine with just listening,” Minhyuk murmured, zoning back out, studying the sounds that surrounded him.

He could’ve sat there all day.

 

“Minhyukkie, c’mon, we’ll be expected home soon,” Hyunwoo said, lightly tapping on the back of Minhyuk’s hand as to not startle the younger by grabbing his hand and yanking him from his day dreams.

“Ok,” Minhyuk replied, sleepiness slowing his voice as he slid his fingers between Hyunwoo’s, holding onto the warmth that he possessed.

“Tired?” Hyunwoo asked only earning himself a sleepy nod from Minhyuk who was clearly on the verge of sleep despite having spent hours in a seat that was not the most comfortable. “Come on, let’s go home,” Hyunwoo murmured softly, guiding Minhyuk from the building and onto their route home.

 

Once they reached their destination the twisting maze of hallways was a familiar routine as Hyunwoo left the few bags of shopping that they had, in the dining room before heading to their room. His hand never leaving Minhyuk’s.

The bed was warm and inviting, the covers a comforting weight atop the two as they lay in a tangle of limbs, holding onto each other as they wandered off to dreamland, still hand in hand.

 

A/N: I really cannot write fluff to save my life so I apologise about this. I just thought that I shouldn't just jump to angsty angst angst.


	7. Hair Dye Antics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ladies and gentlemen and donkeys alike, please give a warm welcome to the original diva himself, the ever handsome Hoseok!”

“You know, when I said I would do anything for you, I didn’t really expect this but I guess it’s better than it could be,” Kihyun said with a cheeky smirk etched upon his face, as per usual when around Hoseok.

 

Both the men giggled, feeling elated from being around each other but the feeling wasn't anything new. In fact, it had been around since the first time they spoke. Although it was left unsaid there was a sense of hope the shrouded the boys whenever they were together, and who knows, maybe they're just wishing for that feeling to last until the death of them. Kihyun denies this by saying that any hope he has is that the next meal he has will be delicious but when they're alone together that feeling was overwhelming to anyone else, and the glances they share would signal something else was really the reason behind the fact they both smile more when the other is next to them.

 

“Well, after you do this you can give me a foot rub, make me some food, find something to read to me, and…” Hoseok stated, his voice trailing off after having got his point across, a grin plastered over his face.

 

“If that means I have to see your face all day then count me out,” deadpanned the other male, looking him straight in the eyes.

 

In response all he got was “Ok you jerk,” and a light shove on his shoulder. The men smiled at each other. Not really a surprise, seeing as they can’t ever seem to stop when they’re near one another.

 

“Mix it up, c’mon! We don’t have all day!” came the impatient voice of the seated male a second later, a towel draped over his shoulders and a baggy shirt clinging loosely to his shoulders.

 

Light conversation floated through the air, the room plain yet bright, the laughter and slight flirting filling the air. The sun was lowering in the sky, filling the room with an orange glow through the small window, the smell of pasta cooking filtering through the crack under the door.

 

Slowly but surely the hair was getting coloured in the dark dye, but when it came to wrapping it in the tinfoil, both the men were lost. There was a desperate struggle and lots of loud laughter and confused arguing from both parties involved. Due to the amount of noise, there was a soft knock on the door before it swung open, revealing the face of Changkyun.

 

“I.. I was just reading and… Got bored… I wanted to be where the fun was…” He muttered softly, seemingly frightened he had invaded upon something important. Before anyone could say anything he hurriedly followed up with, “It doesn’t matter that much though, I could go find Jooheon if you’d like. I don’t have to be here if you two just want to be alone…?”

 

“Uh, could you just check this over with us? We can’t decide if we should scrunch it up like this-“

 

“We shouldn’t,” Came the voice of the man sitting in the chair.

 

“Shush pabo. Do you want this done or not? Uh, if we should scrunch it up like this or if we should fold it. Scrunching is easier and we’d get it done way faster but folding looks more ‘aesthetically pleasing’ for his majesty so…” Kihyun explained.

 

“Well, ah… Um, are you in a rush to get it done? Or do you have no real time limit?” Asked Changkyun softly, almost scared of breaking the silence with his voice, regardless of how quiet he made it and how much he hunched his shoulders over.

 

As soon as his voice shut off the room seemed to have lost the light, and everyone in the room seemed to notice.

 

Kihyun smiled warmly at him walking to be by his side and flinging an arm over his shoulder. “I think that getting it done soon would be good. Thank you!” He smirked slightly as he said the words, Hoseok poking his tongue out in response.

 

“Since you’re here, would you like to dye some of it? I can show you how!” Suggested the younger man. After getting a smile and nod from the seated man, the other two buzzed around, the hair slowly getting the dye applied.

 

It wasn’t until the sun was saying goodnight over the horizon and every surface in the small bathroom had been covered in some way with the blue was it finally decided that it was time to rinse everything out.

 

Kihyun and Hoseok shared a glance and Changkyun laughed.

 

“Yea, yea, yea, I’m leaving. Kindly keep your pants on until I’m out the door, alright?” He joked, a bright smile lighting up his eyes, a drastic change from how he entered the room.

 

He wandered out, swinging the door shut behind himself and two other men proceeded to act a very dramatic scene of Kihyun’s hands having been infected with a fatal illness, only able to be cured by having the first layer of skin removed. They laughed and acted out the surgery, the older male bravely coming in contact with the infected ‘skin’ so as to save the man he loved, pulling the gloves off with an unnecessary amount of struggle.

 

Deciding a shower would be best the men turned on the water and, after concluding that their clothes were already ruined enough as it was, to not bother removing them.

 

Everything went as expected (aside from getting some of the special shampoo in Hoseok’s eyes but that was bound to happen) and about 40 minutes of disgust at the water that was coming from Hoeseok’s hair and singing together very loudly about the things they could see in the bathroom with them. After a particularly beautiful ballad about the sink and Kihyun ‘trying to make sure all the dye was all out’ and spraying some water directly into Hoeseok’s eye they switched off the faucet.

 

Using an old towel they ruffled and blow dried his hair, or tried to but apparently it was ’too hot’ for the handsome diva so they ended up abandoning the idea. When they were done the towel was completely ruined, the blue stains now covering more of the fabric than the original white. Although, after being pleasantly shocked at how well the colour had turned out, they noted that the only towel they had in the room was now blue and soaked.

 

A very damp run through the halls later and the boys had changed into pajama’s, slippered feet wandering into the main living area where all the other members were seated, curled up with each other watching a cooking show on TV.

 

“Ta-da!” Kihyun announced as he flung the door open, the now blue haired man standing slightly behind him, “Ladies and gentlemen and donkeys alike, please give a warm welcome to the original diva himself, the ever handsome Hoseok!”

 

A sea of compliments and approval followed the older man entering the room, with a couple of whistles coming suspiciously from Kihyun’s direction. Even Minhyuk declared his approval in the form of shouting “Looking good!” after having been informed as to what was going on by the man who he was cuddled up next to.

 

The boys giggled at that and took turns running their fingers through his hair, commenting how soft it was. In the background there was the soft voice of Hyunwoo trying to describe the colour, with mentions of the way you feel when you get into a warm bath, or when something is cold and silky and clean feeling, with questions coming from Minhyuk and nods of approval after particularly beautiful sounding came from the boy he was curled up with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by my good friend in repayment for treats because I cannot write fluff to save my life so I hope you enjoyed!


	8. Under The Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kihyun's not feeling well

‘Why do I have to wake up?’ I think to myself as I through the covers back, removing the temptation to fall back asleep. Sometimes you’ve just gotta be awake and face the world no matter how much you just want to sleep for eternity.  
With a groan I heave myself up into a sitting position, rubbing my face sleepily. I’m not necessarily the fastest when it comes to waking up. Glancing over to Kihyun’s bed I see that he’s not awake yet but instead managed to tightly wrap himself in blankets to the point where only the bright pink fluff of hair could be seen.  
Climbing out of bed I wandered over to the edge of Kihyun’s bed feet slowly dragging across the floor with each step. I gave the pile of blankets a light shake until I heard a groan signaling that Kihyun was awake.  
“C’mon, Minhyuk and Hyunwoo want to take us to the café. You can’t stay in bed all day,” I said, poking at the mound of blankets that was Kihyun.  
“Tell them I can’t go, and tell Jooheon to look after Hyungwon for me. I’m not feeling well,” Kihyun whined.  
“Not feeling well? Do you need anything? I can stay here if you’d like.”  
“Don’t worry Seokkie, I’m just feeling a bit under the weather,” the elder said, his voice faint. Pulling the covers down a little I lightly pressed my hand against his forehead, checking for a fever. His skin was hot to the touch.  
“Kihyun, you’ve got a fever, I’m telling Hyunwoo that we’re not coming and I’ll see if Jooheon can look after Hyungwon. You just need to rest, don’t need you getting any worse.”  
“Yah, Hoseok!” Kihyun called after me as I headed for the door. 

Entering the main room I could feel questioning eyes on me as Kihyun wasn’t with me.  
“Hoseok, where’s Kihyunnie?” Hyunwoo asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.  
“He’s not feeling well and told me to tell you that he can’t come,” I explained, chickening out on mentioning that I would stay too. Jooheon’s entire being appeared to change before he was sprinting past me hold Changkyun’s hand as he ran back to Kihyun and I’s shared room.  
I shot Hyunwoo an alarmed look.  
“Jooheon worries a lot, Kihyun gets really sick sometimes and it’s terrifying. We’ll stay home and look after everything Kihyun usually does and you can help look after Kihyun,” Hyunwoo suggested.  
“He’ll be all right,” Minhyuk said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

I got the nomination of reading to Hyungwon who was curled up alone in his room. Movement was a difficult task for him and Kihyun had taken up reading to him every day a few years ago as a way of keeping the younger entertained when he couldn't do much. Together the two had worked through multiple series of books through their daily readings.  
I was a bit nervous to be given the task since I hadn't really met Hyungwon before, only seeing him the first time I came here. Maybe Hyunwoo would've done a better job but seeing as he was the only one who was likely to be able to cook without burning the place down or destroying the meal, him and Minhyuk were cooking in Kihyun's place while Jooheon and Changkyun fussed over Kihyun.  
Hesitantly I wrap my fingers around the doorknob and twist, pushing the door open as soundlessly as I could. I nearly jumped out of my skin when Hyungwon spoke despite having his back facing the doorway.  
"Where's Kihyun?" he asked, his voice void of all emotion.  
"Uhm- I- He's not feeling well today so I've been sent to read to you. He insisted that you weren't forgotten," I explained, voice not as strong as I would've liked.  
"Okay," Hyungwon muttered, his voice now drenched in sorrow, "So you're the Hoseok, Kihyun's always telling me about?"  
I paused. Kihyun talks about me?  
"I guess I am, and you're Hyungwon who Kihyun speaks so fondly about," I said with a smile.  
"He told me that he spent yesterday dying your hair when he brought me dinner; can I see?" Hyungwon asked hopefully. With a chuckle I wandered over to the seat next to his bed and plonked myself down, shaking my hair.  
"That's a nice colour on you," Hyungwon said, his lips curving up into a smile.  
"Thank you, maybe one day Kihyun and I will do your hair," I offered, a smile of my own spreading on my face. Hyungwon's dark eyes seemed to light up at the suggestion.  
"Please, I'll be really good! I promise!"  
I chuckled, "I'll see what Kihyun says when he's feeling better. Now, what book was Kihyun reading to you yesterday?"  
"He finished The Goblet of Fire yesterday, we're on The Order of the Phoenix!" Hyungwon said with one of the brightest smiles I'd ever seen. That was a book series everyone knew well and by the look on Hyungwon's face it was one of his favourites.  
"Alright," I said, eyes scanning the nearby bookshelf before they landed on the title I was looking for, it was quite a thick book too I might add as I pulled it out of the shelf.  
Flipping open the front cover and turning pages until I reached the start of the story I began to read to the boy lying in the bed next to me.  
"The hottest day of summer so far was drawing to a close..."  
Maybe I'd been to captivated in the story I was reading that I didn't notice how Hyungwon fell asleep during the sixth chapter but when I found my eyelids dropping I looked up to see the younger sleeping with a smile on his face.  
In turn a smile upturned my lips as I closed the book and put it to the side. Tucking the covers up over Hyungwon's shoulders and returning to my previous seat.  
I let myself fall victim to sleep.

Hyunwoo opened the door to Hyungwon's room in search of Hoseok and he couldn't hide the fond smile when he saw that both were fast asleep, Hoseok slouched over in the chair next to Hyungwon.  
Hyunwoo closed the door quietly and left them to sleep.


	9. Dazed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For lack of better judgement, Kihyun opens his mouth and says something he probably shouldn't have

I awoke to the sound of whimpers and a soft thud of something lightweight hitting the floor. Cracking my eyes open I tried to make out things in the darkness of the room, it was still late at night, darkness engulfing half of the world.

“Kihyun, are you okay?” my tired voice asks, words melting together from grogginess.

The only answer I got was more whimpers. Officially concerned I threw the cozy blanket off of me, allowing cold air to bite at my skin. A shudder passed through my body as I rolled to the side, feet slipping off the edge and onto the cold, wooden floor.

The whimpers stopped and I idly wondered if the younger had fallen asleep, but knowing his current state it would be best to check on him and wake someone else if necessary. Kihyun had slept majority of the day yesterday while I was reading to Hyungwon and taking a “nap”.

“Kihyunnie,” I whispered, approaching his bed, he was curled up under his mass of blankets, clinging to them for dear life, his face contorted into a look of pain. I quickly reached to turn on the lamp as I attempted to loosen Kihyun’s death grip on the blankets.

“Kiki, shh, it’s okay,” cooed, using my free hand to push his sweat-damped hair out of his face. His cheeks were flushed red, eyes rapidly darting underneath his eyelids, breath coming faster and faster. He was having a nightmare. 

Hot hands loosened their grip on the blankets only to grab of my hands and old onto them. 

“Don’t leave,” Kihyun whimpered, holding on tighter to the point where I was pretty sure he was cutting off the circulation in my hands. But I didn’t care.

“I won’t,” I whispered, watching how his facial features softened and his hold on my hands loosened, his small hands now fitting perfectly in my own. I stared blankly at his hands in mine, that was certainly not what I had expected. My eyes drifted back to Kihyun’s face only to see dark eyes staring back at me. 

“Hoseok,” came the choked sob as tears fell from his eyes. He pushed himself up, hands disappearing from mine only for arms to wrap around me. He clung to me, face buried in the crook of my neck, hot tears falling on my skin. My hands found their way to his back, rubbing comforting circles.

“Kiki, are you all right?” I inquired. The only response was words muffled by my shirt. Kihyun adjusted the position of his head to give me a proper reply.

“Is anyone ever all right?” he muttered. 

“Now is not the time to be an existentialist,” I sighed.

“Conversation is the only way of keeping you here,” Kihyun mumbled, voice nearly lost in the air hanging between us.

“I’ll stay here if you want me to,” I offered.

“Please,” he whined, clinging tighter. 

I tried to ignore the way my face was heating up every second he continued to hold onto me, paying more attention to the heat of his skin. 

“Kiki,” I prodded softly, “do you want to walk around with me for a bit? Get a glass of water?” 

“Mm, okay,” he mumbled sleepily, releasing me and scooting away. My face probably showed my sadness at his absence because he poked my nose and giggled as if it were the funniest thing in the world. 

“Seokkie, your face!” he squealed between giggles, dimples framing his bright smile. My own lips curled up into a fond smile at his happiness, his smile could light up the whole world. Little did he know that it lit up mine.

There was no pain nor any fire in his eyes when he opened them after his fit of laughter, just pure bliss as we both sat in semi darkness and laughed at nothingness in the middle of the night. 

“How are you feeling?” I whispered, pushing the cotton candy hair out of Kihyun’s eyes, making a mental note to get his hair cut soon and almost jumping from the heat of his skin.

“In love,” he whispered in return with a lazy smile.

“In love, with whom?” I inquired eyebrow raising which only caused Kihyun to giggle again.

“You, silly. I’m in love with you, and your stupid confused self, you’re always so cautious around everyone but you’re sweet and loving but you won’t show that. You also want to go back to your life, you want to leave me behind and forget about me but I could never forget about you, you found your way into my heart with your stupid smile that I just want to kiss off your face,” he pouted, giving me puppy eyes.

“How about you tell me that when you’re not all loopy from your fever?” I asked, confidence quickly turning into concern when Kihyun broke out into a coughing fit. Acting purely on reflex I was patting his back softly as the smaller leaned on me after coughing his lungs out, breath shaking as he attempted to recover himself.

“Seokkie, I’m tired,” he panted, eyelids already fluttering closed.

“Sleep then,” I whispered, helping to move him to lie down in his bed and underneath his covers.

After his eyes were closed and his breathing evened itself out I moved from the edge of his bed to the bathroom that just happened to be conveniently located down the hallway instead of allowing the opportunity for me to get lost in the twisting hallways.

Running the cold water I fetched a cloth, soaking it then wringing it out before I journeyed back to Kihyun and I’s shared room. Kihyun was sleeping peacefully so I walked slowly, careful to make sure that my steps weren’t loud enough to wake him as I returned to his bedside and placed the damp cloth on his forehead in hopes of bringing his fever down.

As I moved to return to my bed hot fingers wrapped around my wrist and a small whimper could be heard from Kihyun.

“Don’t leave, please,” he whined.

That’s the story of how I ended up climbing into Kihyun’s bed and falling asleep with him in my arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been writing much of this lately so I apologise in advance for huge gaps between chapters!!


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